A Fresh Start
by LookOutShe'sGotAPen
Summary: When Kyouya's cousin comes to Ouran, she brings the ghosts of her past with her; suspicious and untrusting, she is a definite challenge- so when the twins decide to make a game out of winning her trust, chaos insues. Rated T for safety.
1. Chapter 1

**Note: I DO NOT own Ouran- I wish I did, but sadly I don't. Please review after you read! I want constructive criticism, not just plain criticism. Also, I know I may have messed up on the spelling of some names; please let me know what the correct spelling is and I will correct it! And I know it kind of bounces between POV's without much notice but that's just my writing style- if you hate it, that's fine, and if you love it, that's great!**

Sakura Ootori stared out the window of the limo, her crystal blue eyes blank and expressionless.

"We're almost there." Her mother, Kameko Ootori, said, patting her knee. Sakura didn't respond.

"It was very generous of my sister- your aunt- to offer her house to us, so let her know how grateful you are." Again, Sakura did not give any indication she had heard. Kameko didn't let this stop her. "Kyoya's only a few years older then you; I'm sure he'll be happy to spend some time with his cousin!" She added. No response. With a resigned sigh, she too turned to the window to look outside, hoping that a new start would be what Kameko needed.

When they arrived, their bags were taken upstairs and Kameko and Sakura entered the parlor to be formally greeted by the Ootori family.

"Kameko-chan! It is so great to see you!" A slender woman ran to greet Kameko eagerly. "And you must be Sakura-chan!" Sakura nodded slightly. After a moment's hesitation, Mrs. Ootori shook her hand awkwardly.

"This is your cousin; Kyoya." She added, gesturing to the handsome young man who stood behind her. He bowed and smiled.

"Welcome to our home." He greeted them politely. Sakura watched him, her eyes missing nothing. She looked deep into his eyes and got the strange feeling she could trust him; this feeling surprised her, but yet she believed it completely.

"I'll let the maid show you up to your rooms, so you can get settled in. We'll alert you when dinner is ready." Her aunt added. A young woman ran up to them and bowed hurriedly before leading them upstairs and down the grand hallway. Sakura looked around, curious about her new surroundings. It was a very grand mansion; her old house hadn't been half this size. As she followed the maid, she didn't hear her aunt as she turned to Kyoya.

"Tomorrow at school, don't leave her alone. Make sure she's safe and keep her with you." She said quietly. Kyoya nodded and they parted their separate ways.

The next day at school, Sakura walked beside Kyoya to her classroom.

"After school today, I have to go to a club meeting; your mother thought it would be a good idea to tag along." Kyoya said as they walked down the hallway. Sakura shrugged.

_She hasn't said a word to me since we've met. _Kyoya thought. He knew exactly why, and didn't prompt her to speak.

He showed her to her classroom and left her there, heading to his own. Sakura watched him go before entering the classroom. Upon her entrance, the teacher stood up.

"Class, we have a new student today. Ootori Sakura will be joining us for the rest of the school year." He announced before sitting down. Sakura merely blinked and took an empty seat at the very back of the room; the only available one. She sat down and listened intently as the teacher spoke, taking notes. When she handed out papers, she finished hers and turned it in just as the bell rang.

_I can do this. _She thought to herself. It was like slipping into a new skin; she knew schoolwork, and was good at it; she would survive her.

_Surviving isn't living though. _She thought bitterly.

After school, Sakura followed Kyoya to the Third Music Room. At lunch, Kyoya had told her everything; he'd even gone far enough as to describe each of these "hosts" and tell her their names so she would know who they were. When Kyoya opened the door, she peeked in curiously, wondering if everyone was here already.

There were five other boys in the room; all incredibly handsome. They looked up with surprise when they saw the girl.

"Mom? Who's this?" A tall blonde bounced over and peered at her curiously. She shrank back from him and to everyone's intense surprise Kyoya placed a comforting hand on her shoulder.

"This is my cousin, Sakura." Kyoya explained. The blonde brightened. "Ah, so this is your family? Mom, you never told me about your family!" He disappeared into a corner. Sakura turned slowly to Kyoya.

"'Mom'?" She asked, confused. Kyoya's lips twitched into a smile. "His nickname for me." He explained. Sakura nodded.

Sakura didn't miss everyone in the room staring at Kyoya with wide eyes and slightly gaping mouths. Except the large, tan boy in the back of the room, who was engrossed in a book. She followed their gaze to his hand on her shoulder.

_What's the big deal? It's just his hand. _She wondered briefly why it mattered so much, but was distracted when Kyoya suddenly removed his hand.

"The club will be opening soon." He muttered, striding away quickly and sitting down at a table. Sakura stared after him for a moment before following and sitting down on a couch near his table, not wanting to bother him since he seemed to be concentrating on his laptop.

The twins in the room, whom Kyoya had told her were Hikaru and Kaoru, sat down on either side of her. She jumped and looked between them, suspicion evident in her narrowed eyes and tense shoulders.

"So you're Kyoya-chan's cousin?" They asked in unison. Sakura nodded tightly, her fists clenched. They noticed her tension and scooted away slightly, giving her a little breathing room.

"Did you just come here?" The one on the right asked. His voice was a bit softer and higher pitched then the other twin's; Sakura filed that information away for later use, so she could use it to figure out which twin was which.

"Yes." She said quietly, not liking them asking her questions. "Guys, leave her alone." She looked up at the boy in front of her. Judging by his girly looks, Sakura guessed "he" was Haruhi- Kyoya had told her all about her debt to the club and how she was working it off. "But Haru-chan we're bored." The one on her left whined. "Then go entertain yourselves. She's not a toy." Haruhi said coldly. The twins scowled and left, muttering to each other. Sakura blinked up at him gratefully and he smiled slightly.

"Don't worry about them. They're harmless." She said with a wink before moving on. Sakura watched her go, surprised by her kindness; they'd only just met, after all. She looked oddly familiar; with a start, Sakura realized she was in her class.

_And so are the twins! _Kyoya _had _said they were all the same age.

"Get ready, gentleman!" Tamaki cried suddenly, dashing to a plush red velvet chair and taking his seat, crossing one leg over the other and folding his hands, looking as regal as any high-schooler could. The others silently circled his chair, and then the doors opened and at least a hundred squealing girls burst in, and Sakura gaped at the vast amount of them all; Kyoya had said the Host Club was quite popular, but this was insane!

After a productive few hours, Kyoya realized the Host Club was over. He reached into his pocket and called the limo driver, who said he was waiting outside.

"You go ahead Sakura; I'll be right there." He said, nodding to Sakura. She nodded in return and left, carrying her schoolbag. As soon at the door clicked behind her, he turned to Tamaki.

"Before you start, come with me." He growled, dragging Tamaki to a back corner, far away from the curious ears of the other Hosts.

"You read my mind Kyo-chan!" Tamaki laughed, undisturbed as Kyoya roughly shoved him into the wall.

"So that's really Sakura-chan?" He asked, his violet eyes solemn. Kyoya sighed. "Yes, she is." He pushed up his glasses. Tamaki looked pained. "That poor girl… is she all right?" He asked. Kyoya nodded. "She seems fine; just…" He fumbled for the right words, something Kyoya rarely did. Tamaki watched him, not bothering to hide his surprise by his friend's hesitation.

"She's… withdrawn. And scared, in case you didn't notice, running up to her like that." His gray eyes glittered with menace as he suddenly grabbed Tamaki by the shirt collar.

"I swear, if you scare her again I'll kill you." His voice was calm but intoned a deep fury; Tamaki, however, was more curious then frightened. He looked deep into Kyoya's eyes.

"You don't usually protect anyone unless there are merits in it for you. What could helping her possibly have to offer?" He asked. Kyoya sighed. "She's my mother's sister's daughter. And what happened to her isn't her fault at all; life's dealt her a bad hand, and it'd be cruel to just leave her alone right now." He said quietly. Tamaki's eyes widened. He'd never heard Kyoya talk about someone like that; he really felt bad for this girl.

_And he should; she's had a terrible time lately. _"Well, I promise I'll make sure no harm comes to her whenever she's nearby." He declared. Kyoya rolled his eyes at his dramatic pose but had to admit he felt a bit better knowing there was more then one person watching Sakura's back.

"She's waiting for me now; I'd better go." Kyoya said abruptly, before he turned and walked briskly out the door. Tamaki watched him go, a slight smile on his lips. It was good to see Kyoya wanting to help someone; definitely not in his character, but he knew he had someone to thank for his change of heart. His purple eyes strayed to the only girl in the room, who was picking up her things.

_Haruhi… you truly have saved us all. _He thought to himself, his warm smile growing bigger.

Hitachin Kaoru watched as the "King" of the Host Club suddenly sauntered into the middle of the room. He clapped his hands twice, demanding attention.

"Wonder what he wants now." Hikaru muttered. Kaoru shrugged, not knowing. He hadn't missed the exchange between Tamaki and Kyoya- it looked like Kyoya had been beating him up over something.

_He probably asked Kyoya to do another stupid cosplay _Kaoru thought with an annoyed snort_. _

"Attention everyone! I have an important announcement, and it involves our Dearest Mother." He called. Everyone lifted their heads when he mentioned "mother"- what could Tamaki be announcing about Kyoya?

"Now, you all met Sakura-chan, correct?" He asked. "Well duh, she was here five minutes ago." Hikaru snorted.

"You all noticed how… jumpy she was, right?" Tamaki asked. Kaoru thought back to how nervous she'd been when Tamaki had startled her and when he and Hikaru and tried to speak to her.

"Just get to the point Senpai." Haruhi rolled her chocolate brown eyes. Kaoru had to admit she had a point; their King had a habit of rambling. But today, however, he seemed serious for once.

"Well, I won't tell you everything but she's had some bad experiences in her past; she doesn't trust anyone anymore." He said, looking sad. Kaoru felt a stab of pity for the girl; she must have been through something terrible, if it had sobered their King for even a heartbeat.

"I thought it would be a nice present for Mom- seeing as how Sakura is Mom's cousin- if we could make her comfortable around us!" He clasped his hands proudly. There was silence in the room.

"What do you mean, Tama-chan?" Honey asked.

"I mean, get her to trust again! Mom's worried sick over her- we must do whatever we can to ease Mom's mind!" He insisted. Hikaru and Kaoru glanced at each, both with the same mischievous glint in their eyes.

"You mean, like a game?" Hikaru asked, turning to Tamaki with a grin on his face. "No! Not a game!" Tamaki stammered, his face going red with fury. "Don't you dare turn her into a plaything!" They tuned him out and put their heads together, whispering about the rules.

"Only one rule; if she rejects you publicly, you lose. But if you can get her to hug or even kiss you, you win!" They decided that worked fine- the other Hosts didn't have to play- it was their secret game. There was no prize; just the satisfaction of winning.

"Game starts tomorrow." Hikaru decided as they walked to their limo. "All right. Bet I can win her over in a week." Kaoru bragged. Hikaru snorted. "I'll have her by lunch tomorrow." He smirked.

Sakura and Kyoya walked into the school, and almost the instant she stepped into the hallway she went down like a rock, tripping over an unseen object. Her books flew out of her hand and, like magic, Hikaru was there.

"Here. You dropped these." He said, picking up her books. "Thanks." Sakura nodded, watching him warily. Kyoya stood over them, his gray eyes probing the back of Hikaru's head- what on Earth was he up too?

"Need a hand?" Hikaru asked, standing up and offering her his hand. "I got her." Kyoya intervened quickly and took Sakura's hand, helping her up.

"Thanks." She nodded to both of them, taking her books from Hikaru. "Welcome." Hikaru winked at her and disappeared into the crowd. Sakura and Kyoya stared after him, the same question on both their minds; what had that been all about?

Hikaru slipped into the seat beside Kaoru and gave him a satisfied smirk.

"Picked her books up in the hallway." He bragged. Kaoru rolled his eyes. "You probably tripped her." He accused his brother, who shrugged and grinned. Kaoru turned his attention to the front of the class, having heard Sakura enter. He watched her as she walked with her head down to her seat in the back. She sat and worked with her head bowed, her hair masking her face so she could hide from the world. For a heartbeat, Kaoru felt a twinge of regret she'd gotten mixed up in his and Hikaru's schemes before pushing it away. What else was there to do?

A few days later, at the Host Club, Sakura sat quietly at Hikaru and Kaoru's table, sipping her tea and gazing around the room, wondering again why they both had invited her to her table. She watched their "brotherly love" bit out of the corner of her eye, not understanding how everyone found this attractive. Kyoya had told her this was all an act, but it was a very convincing one.

"Ah, what's wrong Milady? Don't you find us appealing?" Sakura's head snapped around to see Hikaru leaning close to her. His face was only a few inches away, and her heart started hammering in her chest.

"Hikaru, back off." Kaoru murmured, placing a hand on his brother's shoulder. Sakura barely heard Kaoru and instead stared back at Hikaru, willing him to leave her alone and just go away. Hikaru blinked, surprise registering in his eyes from his brother's comment. After a heartbeat, he pulled away, somewhat reluctantly. Sakura let out the breath she'd been holding and slumped in her chair, relief evident in her face.

She fought the urge to leave the table; she didn't want to look like a cowardly baby in front of all these people. So she swallowed her fear and remained at the table, careful not to look at Hikaru or Kaoru the rest of the day.

"Nice move back there, Einstein." Kaoru snorted as they settled in their limo. Hikaru scowled. "How was I supposed to know that would scare her?" He demanded, shutting the door with more force then necessary.

"I seem to recall Tamaki mentioning how she doesn't trust people." Kaoru pointed out. Hikaru rolled his eyes. "The game's not over yet." He muttered. Kaoru blinked. He'd completely forgotten about the game. He'd only brought that up because he hadn't liked it when his twin had upset Sakura.

_Well, you don't like to see anyone upset. _He reminded himself. He was trying to make up for how he had been what seemed like ages ago; before the Host Club, before Tamaki came in, and before Haruhi had entered their lives. He hated the person he was back then; he'd deliberately hurt people back then, all for a little entertainment and to keep everyone out of their lives. _Their _lives. He and Hikaru had their own little world back then; now it was more open and far more people inhabited it. Haruhi, for instance, was a frequent visitor; she was the only one who could easily tell them apart without looking at the way their hair was parted.

"Hey. Hikaru?" Kaoru asked suddenly. Hikaru turned to his twin, waiting his answer. "I've just… been thinking…" Kaoru hesitated. "We're back to playing games with people; this doesn't mean…?" He trailed off and looked his twin squarely in the eyes. Hikaru was silent for a long moment.

"I don't think so." He finally murmured. "This isn't aimed to hurt her; if anything, it'll help her." He pointed out. Kaoru nodded, comforted by his brother's words. He leaned back in his seat and stared out the window, lost in thought.

Sakura had decided to designate Haruhi the next day; she didn't feel like dealing with boys today. She sat with her chin in her hands, listening idly to the small talk occurring at the table. She sipped her tea and gazed out the window, her eyes unfocused as she was lost in her thoughts.

"Sakura-chan?" She jumped, looking up in surprise when Kyoya stood over her. "I have to speak to a teacher- would you mind waiting here for me? The driver will be a few minutes." He said. Sakura nodded. She didn't mind. She watched everyone else leave and waited until everyone was gone before flopping down on the couch, throwing an arm over her eyes and closing them. She'd been so tired lately; she hadn't been sleeping at all. Every time she closed her eyes, a nightmare would appear and she'd be awake the rest of the night.

She heard the door open and looked up. "Kyoya-chan?" She asked, sitting up and smoothing her dress down a bit. She looked at the tall, burly senior who had walked in. He jumped when he heard her.

"Oh, sorry, wrong room." He muttered, looking down. He came a bit closer, until he was standing in front of the couch. "Do you happen to know where the second music room is?" He asked hopefully. Sakura shook her head. "Great." He rolled his eyes. "So I guess I'm stuck here." He sighed.

Kaoru and Hikaru walked side by side towards the limo when suddenly Kaoru stopped.

"Shoot, I forgot my algebra book." He rolled his eyes. "I'll go get it- you go ahead; I'll just be a second." He sighed, turning and jogging back to the school.

Kyoya tried not to show his annoyance as he stood in front of his teacher.

"I beg to differ, but as you can see, questions number 3, 6, and 19 both have typing errors- see?" He pointed out. He was annoyed that the teacher had marked these incorrect; he'd never gotten a question wrong before. But looking closely at the questions, he'd noticed plenty of spelling errors that could have easily attributed to the questions being marked wrong. The teacher still looked skeptical, and he sighed inwardly. This could be a while longer then he'd anticipated.

Sakura stood up, beckoning to the senior in front of her, Yoshio.

"Come on; let's go to the office and see if maybe someone knows where it is." Sakura said, turning towards the door. Yoshio caught her wrist.

"That won't be needed." He said, pulling her towards him. Too terrified to move, Sakura could only stare up at him as he crushed her to him. He smirked down at her.

"You're awfully pretty for a freshman." He said, stroking her cheek. Sakura slapped him as hard as he could and he swore.

"Why you little…" He growled, dragging her towards him as she shrieked for help.

Kaoru sauntered down the hallway to his classroom, annoyed that he'd forgotten his book again. That was more of a Hikaru thing- Kaoru was usually the one reminding him to go get his book, backpack, etc. As he went along he heard a noise and stopped, tilting his head as he listened. There it was again. A scream for help. He turned and raced in the direction of the scream, going as fast as his legs would take him.

Hikaru drummed her fingers on the seat, looking irritably from the school to his watch. Where was Kaoru?

Kyoya sighed and pushed up his glasses.

"If you truly think we should go see the superintendent, fine." He said, not letting his worry show. He didn't like leaving Sakura alone; but this was a safe school; she'd be fine, wouldn't she?

Kaoru heard the scream again; it was coming from the Third Music Room!  
_Is a client in trouble? _He wondered, throwing the door open and leaping in. He stared in horror at the two people struggling near the couch; a huge, burly senior and Sakura, who looked like she was fighting for her life.

"Get off of her!" Kaoru snarled, running over and punching the senior in the face. The senior let go of Sakura and stumbled backwards. He looked at Kaoru, his eyes furious, but then he saw his blazing eyes and clenched fist and thought better of it. He bolted from the room, not even shutting the door behind him in his haste.

"Yeah you better run punk!" Kaoru shouted after him. He turned back to Sakura. "Are you all right?" He asked gently. She stared at the floor, her eyes wide. Her face had a red handprint on her cheek, and her wrists had long, finger-shaped bruises forming on them. Her dress was torn and she was shaking slightly.

"It's going to be OK. He's gone." Kaoru reassured her, taking a cautious step closer. At once, Sakura threw her arms around him and buried her face in his chest, sobbing quietly. Kaoru jumped, startled by her sudden touch. He hesitated a heartbeat before holding her close, stroking her hair and murmuring comforting words, trying to soothe her.

He sat down with her on the couch, still holding her close. She continued to cry, though not in loud, choking sobs like normal girls; she cried quietly, with barely any tears. His heart cracked in pity and he brought her closer, wishing more then anything he could chase all her fears away and make her safe again.

Sakura wanted nothing more then to just stay with Kaoru; she needed to feel safe and comfortable, after her terrifying experience. She couldn't remember the last time she'd clung to someone so desperately, as though her very life depended on holding on as tightly as she could.

She didn't know how long she cried into Kaoru's chest, but suddenly she heard the door open, the running footsteps.

"What happened?" Kyoya snarled. Sakura looked up, and hurriedly tried to try the tears from her face.

"Some idiot senior came in here." Kaoru growled. "I'm not sure exactly what happened but I came in here and they were fighting each other…" He trailed off, looking at Sakura. Sakura shuddered and looked down.

"He tried to… he wanted to…" She couldn't finish her sentence and buried her face in her hands. Kaoru brought her close again and she buried her face in his chest, feeling safe again.

"OK, we'll take you to the doctor to make sure you're not hurt. Afterwards, we'll deal with _him._" Kyoya's words dripped with poison. Sakura shivered at the menace in his voice, glad she wasn't the one he was angry at. Kaoru stood and helped her up, keeping her close as they followed Kyoya out of the room and outside to his limo.

Kaoru suddenly remembered.

"Crap, I forgot Hikaru." He groaned, digging in his pockets for his cell phone. He sent a quick text to Hikaru, telling him to go on without him while he attended to some business.

Kaoru never asked if he could come with; he simply got into the limo beside Sakura and sat down, contenting himself with mental images of what he would do to that punk if he ever ran into him again.

Kyoya looked perfectly calm; but inside he was boiling with rage. He wanted to kick himself over his stupidity; he couldn't believe he'd left her alone! He had to admit there was no way he could have known about what would happen; he had to stop blaming himself before he went crazy.

For now, anyway, he could sit in the waiting room with Kaoru, typing away on his laptop. He wasn't doing much; he was mostly just hitting the keys aimlessly, making it look as though he were actually working when in fact he wasn't.

He didn't try to start a conversation with Kaoru; Kaoru returned the favor, fidgeting in the seat beside him, flipping through magazines and examining his fingernails. He crossed and uncrossed his legs; he was beginning to drive Kyoya crazy, but he ignored him for the main part. Suddenly Kaoru's cell phone went off and a nurse glared at him. Kaoru muttered an apology and picked up the phone.

"Hikaru? What do you… no, I'm fine. I know I was supposed to be home by now. Tell Mom to calm down, OK? I'm with…" He glanced at Kyoya and coughed. "Friends." Kyoya's lips twitched but he said nothing, amused.

"Where am I? Oh, I'm at the hospital. No! I'm fine!" Kaoru sounded exasperated. Finally, Kyoya held out his hand.

"Let me talk to him." Kyoya said. Kaoru hesitated before handing the phone over, looking before scared and relieved.

"Hikaru-chan? It's Kyoya." Kyoya said, pressing the phone to his ear.

"What are you two doing?" Hikaru demanded, sounding irritated and a little worried. "We're at the hospital; a friend of mine was in an accident and Kaoru wanted to tag alone to make sure they were OK." Kyoya said smoothly. Hikaru snorted. "A friend of yours? Since when do you have friends?" Kyoya snapped the phone shut and handed back to Kaoru.

"You're welcome." He smirked, resuming his aimless typing.

Sakura yawned, for at least the tenth time and blinked slowly.

"I'm starting to think they gave you too much pain medication. You weren't even in any pain, right?" Kaoru said worriedly. Sakura stopped herself before she admitted she was bruised in a lot of places besides her wrists and face.

"I'm fine." She slurred, her head falling back. She blinked and didn't open her eyes again, falling asleep. She rested her head on the first supportive thing she found and was out cold.

"Your cousin is heavy." Kaoru complained, lifting Sakura out of the limo.

Kyoya didn't respond, striding briskly up to the house to warn Kameko and his mother before they saw Sakura- he needed to do some serious damage control.

_They're going to be furious I left her alone. _He thought, opening the door and calling loudly for a servant to fetch his mother and aunt. As he waited, Kaoru opened the door and stumbled in with Sakura, panting heavily.

"You have at least left the door open." He snapped. Kyoya ignored him. "Her room's upstairs; a maid will show you the way." He said with a careless flick of his hand. Kaoru stared at him in horror.

"Do you really think I can carry her upstairs?" He demanded. Kyoya stared back, his gaze icy. Kaoru wilted beneath his glare and headed upstairs, muttering angrily to himself.

Just as he disappeared over the top of the stairs, Kameko and his mother appeared.

"Kyoya, what's so important you had to drag us all the way to the parlor?" His mother demanded, looking irritable. Kyoya sighed. This wasn't going to be easy.

Kaoru lied Sakura gently down on her bed, covering her with her blanket. He watched her sleep for a moment, hypnotized by the peaceful expression on her usually troubled face before he shook himself, realizing he had to get home to Hikaru before his twin sent the cops after him. He rolled his eyes to himself and headed to the door, pausing to look back at Sakura one last time. He sighed and opened the door, intent on slipping out of the house without anyone noticing.

He made it to the top of the stairs and saw Kyoya ushering two women out of the room; they both had identical expressions of worry and suspicion as Kyoya led them away.

Kaoru hurried down the stairs and out the door, heaving a sigh of relief as he made it outside. He dug into his pocket and pulled out his cell phone, calling his driver.

He waited until the limo arrived and then jumped in, his mind revolving around only one person the entire ride home.

"I am going to school today, Mother." Sakura insisted, struggling into her dress.

"Honey please, just take one day off!" Her mother pleaded. Sakura shook her head. "I won't have everyone thinking I'm a coward." She muttered. "If that boy's there, he might be spreading awful rumors about me; I need to go there and make sure he hasn't been blabbing to the whole school." Sakura said, fastening her shoes.

"You've always been so stubborn." Kameko sighed, rubbing her forehead. "All right. But I don't care what happens; don't be alone even for a minute." She warned Sakura, who nodded and grabbed her bag, heading downstairs.

"Come on, let's go." She said briskly to Kyoya, breezing past her. He looked startled by her sudden appearance and chased after her.

"I thought you were under strict orders to rest in bed today." He accused her as he followed her into the limo.

"I'm not going to skip school looking like a coward." Sakura declared, crossing her arms. She knew she was acting far different then usual; but she was so ashamed of her behavior the day before. She couldn't believe she'd clung to poor Kaoru like that; she had to act brave, and make sure he knew she wasn't some scared little girl. No, she couldn't be scared. Not anymore.

They pulled up in front of the school and Sakura hopped out, walking briskly with her head held high. Kyoya had to hurry to keep up, even though his legs were almost as long as she was tall.

"See you later Kyoya." She lifted a hand in farewell before entering her classroom. She was early; there were only a few other students here. She took her seat in the back and fiddled with her pencil, both anticipating yet dreading the arrival of Kaoru.

"Hey, would you settle down? You've been twitching like a ferret all day." Hikaru teased as they climbed out of their limo.

"I'm fine." Kaoru insisted. He was beginning to think that was the only thing he'd said for days; last night, when he'd come home to his weeping mother who'd been certain he'd either been kidnapped or killed.

"Which of Kyoya's 'friends' was it in the accident anyway?" Hikaru asked, again, as they entered the classroom. He stopped dead and Kaoru bumped into him.

"Geez." He breathed. "Sakura looks like she was a in a bar fight!" Suddenly his eyes widened. "_She _was the one in the accident, wasn't she?" He asked quietly.

"It's none of your business!" Kaoru snapped, brushing past him and sitting down in his seat. Hikaru stood frozen in front of his desk, hurt in his eyes as he looked at his brother. Kaoru immediately felt ashamed. He'd never snapped at his brother before; he guessed he was just upset over Sakura's appearance; her face was swollen and the bruises on her arms were visible even from here.

"I'm sorry." He said softly. He looked up but Hikaru was already in his seat. "It's fine." He said briskly. "You barely got any sleep last night; I'm surprised you waited this long to get snippy." He teased. Kaoru smiled slightly, though he wasn't amused. He hadn't slept at all last night; he'd been worried over Sakura.

He glanced at her worriedly; she should have been home, resting, but here she was, defying the odds. Despite himself, he felt a tinge of admiration for her bravery.

Two seniors of Ouran walked down the hallway together.

"Man, I can't believe about Yoshio." The one on the right shook his head. "Yeah. Who knew his dad would suddenly get relocated at his job?" The one on the left shrugged.

"Do you even know where they moved?" The one on the right asked. "No. Yoshio just said some really far off place- they don't even have working cell phones or running water there." The one on the left said. "Huh. That sucks." The one on the right shrugged. They continued on their way.

After school at the Host Club, Sakura was beginning to think she'd made a bad choice coming back to school.

_Well, you only have to endure the stares another hour or so. _She comforted herself. When she'd walked in, all of the Hosts had gawked at her. Tamaki had immediately asked what happened, but Kyoya's icy stare prevented him from pressing the matter.

Now, she sat quietly at Hunny's table, fully aware of the curious looks both he and Mori gave her. Mori wasn't nearly as inquisitive as Hunny however; he often stopped his cousin before Hunny could ask, again, where the bruises had come from.

Sakura's eyes kept straying to the nearby table, to where Hikaru and Kaoru sat entertaining their customers with their act.

Every time she looked at Kaoru, she found he was looking back. Whenever she caught his eye she would turn away quickly, a blush creeping up her cheeks.

_Stop looking at him! _She chided herself. He was just another guy; not worth a second glance. So why did she keep catching herself glancing over at him?

Kyoya's ever-observant eye didn't miss the glances Kaoru and Sakura kept shooting at each other, or how they'd both look away, their faces tinged red. Every time he saw this, he felt a stab of hope and worry; he hoped that maybe Kaoru and Sakura would maybe end up together- it would be good for Sakura, to learn how to trust again. But, though he wouldn't admit it under the threat of death, he was terrified for his cousin; if Kaoru broke her heart, he didn't even want to think about the consequences that would have.

_I can't believe I let myself get to attached to her; if she gets her heart broken, it shouldn't have any effect on me. _Though he repeated this to himself countless times, he knew he wouldn't be able to bear it if any harm came to Sakura.

_I probably never would have gotten to this point; actually connecting with people, if it hadn't been for Haruhi. _He glared at the small figure on the opposite side of the room, deciding to blame her for his worry and fear for his cousin.

Kaoru was literally twitching in his seat as he fought to keep his eyes and attention on his clients.

"Kaoru-kun, are you all right?" One of the girls finally asked. "I'm fine." He laughed nervously, brushing off the comment with a wave of his hand. An idea flashed in his mind and he put a hand to his face, looking as sad as he could.

"It's just that… Hikaru can't seem to keep his eyes off you lovely ladies, and I feel neglected." He said sadly. Hikaru, catching on, seized his brother's chin and pulled him close.

"Don't worry brother…" He murmured. "I promise to give you extra attention tonight." The girls all turned bright red as they squealed their approval of the brotherly love act.

The next day, Saturday, Sakura was trying to get a little extra sleep when the door opened.

"Miss Ootori-san, your presence is requested downstairs." A maid said with a bow. Sakura stretched and yawned, irritated that she wasn't going to get to sleep in after all.

With a resigned sigh, she stood and cleaned herself up and dressed before coming downstairs to find Kyoya waiting for her, his arms crossed and his eyes flashing with irritation. Standing beside him was Tamaki.

"Tamaki-san?" Sakura yawned, rubbing her eyes. "What on Earth are you doing here?" She asked.

"Ah, hello Sakura-chan! I'm here because I thought we could use some family bonding time!" Sakura blinked slowly. "Family bonding time?" She repeated in disbelief. Kyoya sighed and put a hand to his forehead.

"Tamaki, Sakura doesn't need to come along." He said. "No, I want to." Sakura said suddenly. She wasn't looking forward to being cooped up in the house all weekend- she needed some sort of activity to keep her distracted.

"Yay! Let's go!" Tamaki cried, dashing out the door. "Where are we going?" Sakura asked Kyoya as they left the house.

"Tamaki didn't say." Kyoya rolled his eyes. "But it's somewhere stupid, I'm sure." He muttered.

They got into Tamaki's limo and found the rest of the Host Club there.

"Morning everyone." Sakura yawned as she slipped into the seat between Kyoya and the window. Everyone nodded a greeting.

No one said anything as the limo sped off, leaving the Ootori mansion far behind. Even the normally hyper Hunny was quiet, yawning and rubbing his eyes as he clutched his bunny to his chest.

"We're here!" Tamaki cried suddenly, leaping from the limo before the driver could open the door for him. Sakura came out after him and looked around, getting more irritated by the second.

"You dragged us out of bed for a _carnival?_" She growled. Tamaki grinned widely. "It's a commoner tradition to hold one of these annually! I thought we should all come and learn more about commoner culture!" He cried, sweeping his hand around in a grand gesture.

"Ooh! Cotton candy!" Hunny cried, pointing to a stand. Without a word, Mori placed him on his shoulders and wandered off towards the stand.

"Come on Haruhi! Let's go play!" Tamaki grabbed Haruhi by the hand and dragged her off into the crowd. Only the twins, Sakura and Kyoya were left standing by the limo.

"Now what do we do?" Hikaru complained. His brother shrugged. They stood silently, gazing around at their surroundings.

"Well, this is boring." Sakura said with a roll of her eyes. "We might as well enjoy ourselves while we're here." She took a step towards the nearest arcade.

"Oh no. You're not going alone." Kaoru came up beside her. Sakura looked up, shocked to have him there.

"Will you be all right with Kaoru-chan?" Kyoya asked, looking down at her. Sakura nodded. "Hey, I'm here too!" Hikaru protested.

"All right. I'll be here, but there's no way I'm going to an arcade." He said, heading to a nearby park bench and sitting down, pulling out his laptop. Sakura shrugged and led the way to the arcade, intrigued by the flashing lights and blaring music.

"We could try one of those games too- they have better prizes." Kaoru pointed out, nodding to stand where you had to hit the balloons with darts. Sakura brightened immediately; she'd played those games before, and she wasn't too bad at them.

"Come on then!" She called, dragging Kaoru by the hand to the stand. Hikaru followed, looking slightly put-out .

"Bet I can hit more balloons then you can." Hikaru bragged to Kaoru. Kaoru smirked. "You're on." He said, putting a fistful of money on the table.

Sakura set her own money down and picked up a dart. She aimed carefully then sent it sailing through the air, popping a balloon.

"This is fun." She said with a grin, grabbing more darts and tossing them, hitting a balloon each time. She didn't notice Hikaru and Kaoru missing most of their shots; apparently they didn't have very good hand-eye coordination.

"Let's play a different game." Hikaru sniffed when he'd used all his darts. "OK." Sakura agreed, accepting her large pink bear.

Hikaru led the way towards another game, one where you had to shoot water into a target to race a few cats.

Sakura set her bear down beside her and sat down on the stool next to Kaoru.

They hit their buttons, shooting a steady stream of water into the target.

A group of girls had surrounded them, cheering on the twins. Sakura glared at them, upset that this fun day out had turned into just another Host Club meeting.

Hikaru narrowly beat out Sakura and Kaoru to win, and the girls clapped enthusiastically.

"Teach us to play!" They all cried hopefully. Hikaru hesitated, glancing between his brother, Sakura, and the girls.

"They'll just follow us around if I don't." He finally shrugged, sitting back down. "Go take Sakura around; it won't be fair if she's stuck here." Hikaru said. Kaoru stood still, glancing awkwardly between his brother and Sakura.

"Just go." Hikaru insisted. "I'll catch up with you later." He said. Kaoru sighed and turned, leading Sakura way from the games.

"So what do you want to do?" He asked as they walked along. Sakura shrugged, suddenly wishing she had stayed home.

"Saka-chan! Kao-chan!" They both looked up, each sighing with relief as Hunny skipped up to them, Mori right behind him.

"Where's Hika-chan?" Hunny asked, tilting his head. Kaoru nodded to the suddenly crowded racing game. "Entertaining." He replied.

Suddenly two familiar figures came up, one tall, blonde, and grinning, the other short, brunette, and scowling.

"Are we done yet?" Haruhi sighed as she came up. Tamaki looked towards the sun that was starting its slow descend and sighed with disappoint.

"Alas, even the most glorious day must end!" He lamented, putting the back of his hand to his forehead.

"I'll go get Hikaru." Kaoru said abruptly, spinning on his heel and racing back to where they'd left his brother.

"Let's go find Kyoya." Sakura suggested. "I'm right here." Sakura jumped three feet in the year and whirled to see Kyoya standing behind her.

"Don't do that!" She accused, though she was laughing at the rush of adrenaline.

"OK got him! Let's go!" Kaoru called as he dragged his brother away from the crying girls. They hurried to their limos, eager to get home and rest.

Sakura collapsed into bed that night, tired and confused. Why had she and Kaoru both acted to weird towards each other? Yesterday they'd been so close… now they seemed miles apart.

_Why can't things ever be simple? _She thought bitterly.

14


	2. Chapter 2

**Wow, thanks for all the reviews! Definitely wasn't expecting that many! I'm glad that people like my story! Anyway, you'll notice Sakura seems a bit more daring and bold in this chapter; this isn't a sudden change of character, it's just her showing her true self as she warms up to the Host Club. And kudos to those of you who figured out the true meaning of the story! Yes, this story IS mostly about the differences between the twins- but if you pay more attention, I wanted to show how Kyoya can really be a good person- at least to his family. And I added a little bit of how Haruhi has helped the Host Club a lot, since I firmly believe she was one of the best things that happened to them. **

**Note: I do NOT own Ouran High School Host Club or any of the characters I write about except Sakura.  
**

Sakura hated the awkward confrontations with Kaoru- it was beginning to drive her crazy with worry that she'd run into him.

At the Host Club, Tamaki stood up to address everyone.

"May I please have your attention?" He called. The room was instantly silent. "As most of you know, our beach trip is this weekend so remember to pack your bathing suits and meet your favorites Hosts to bask in the sun, play volleyball, and simply relax and have fun!" He sat back down and the clients burst into wild cheering and applause.

_A beach trip, huh? _Sakura thought with surprise. She hadn't known about that; she admitted it sounded like fun, and it wasn't like she had any plans that weekend. She'd go- it was better then lounging around at home.

The day of the beach trip dawned bright and sunny. Sakura got up and dressed quickly, trying to remember her last trip to the beach.

She hurried downstairs and skipped breakfast, going straight to her limo. Kyoya had promised to meet her there; he had to go early to take care of a few things.

As she rode in the limo, she twiddled her thumbs and gave her mind free rein. Her mind wandered far away from the limo, mostly circling around the beach trip. She wondered if all the clients would be there, and what kind of things they'd do at the beach.

Before long, she finally arrived at the beach, and jumped out, hurrying over to where she found Kyoya standing nearby.

"OK where do I change?" She asked, trying to hide her excitement. He pointed to the nearby changing rooms and she walked over quickly and disappeared inside.

She emerged a few minutes later clad in a simple but cute one-piece, turquoise bathing suit.

"We could have gotten you something cuter." Hikaru said, somewhat rudely when she came out. She rolled her eyes. "I hate bikinis and this is my favorite color." She explained.

"I think she looks nice." Kaoru said carefully. They both turned to stare at him. "Thank you." Sakura said, somewhat surprised. Hikaru snickered as she walked away, heading towards the sandy area.

She didn't lay out a towel and simply lay down in the warm sand, closing her eyes and soaking in the luxury of being in the warm sunlight.

She opened an eye a slit to see what everyone else was doing- Tamaki was sitting on a rock overlooking the water a short distance away, entertaining a woman while a long line of girls waited behind her.

Mori, Hunny and Haruhi all gathered shells, while the twins played volleyball with a few girls.

_That looks like fun. _She decided, standing up and walking over.

"Can I join?" She asked, seeing the game was just ending.

"Sure. We're short a player." Hikaru shrugged. Sakura nodded and stood near the back, putting her hands together as she prepared to hit the ball if it should come her way.

"OK here it comes!" A girl called from the other side. The volleyball sailed over the net, and Hikaru bopped it back over. After a moment it came hurtling back, straight towards Sakura.

She dove forwards and hit it hard, sending it flying through the air and smashing into the sand on the other side.

"Nice hit Sakura-chan!" Kaoru called. Sakura blushed slightly, and wondered why he'd decided to talk to her today, but she didn't question it; she was too happy he was acting normal again.

A girl in front timidly asked if she and Sakura could switch- she didn't like being so close to the ball. Sakura happily agreed and moved to the front, waiting for the ball to be sent over.

When the ball finally bounced across the net towards her, she leaped into the air and spiked it, sending up a spray of sand as it crashed into the ground on the other side.

"Don't hurt anybody!" Hikaru teased from where he stood beside her. She flashed him a grin and then burst out laughing, for a ball had just bounced off his face.

"You OK?" Kaoru snickered, coming over. Hikaru rubbed his forehead. "I'm fine." He said, sending the ball back over.

Before long, Sakura and the twin's team had won the game- though Sakura suspected it was partially because the other team had let them win.

"You guys keep playing." Sakura panted, sweaty and out of breath. "I'll be back later." She lifted a hand in farewell and jogged off, her eyes focused on one point as she headed along.

She couldn't believe she was going to do this.

As she stared down the side of the cliff she grinned, knowing fully well she _was _going to do this. It seemed too much fun to pass up.

It wasn't a far drop anyway- not even fifty feet up. Besides the waters were calm and deep- she'd checked herself before climbing up here. She backed away, intending on a running start. She took a deep breath and closed her eyes, praying she wouldn't hurt herself for this reckless fun.

Her eyes opened and she took off running, throwing herself off the cliff with a wild exhilarated scream. She plummeted through the air, barely remembering to close her eyes and dive before she hit the water.

_That was amazing. _She thought as she swam back to the surface, eager to do it again and maybe convince someone to join her. Instead, when she got on the beach she found Kyoya waiting for her, his arms crossed and foot tapping. He rarely showed his annoyance; Sakura knew he must be furious.

"Come with me." He said icily, stalking away. Sakura glanced around at the gathering crowd before hurrying after him, wondering how much trouble she was in.

"Look, I know that was stupid but…" Kyoya interrupted her protests.

"What you did was stupid and reckless." He snarled viciously. "Everyone thought you had fallen off the cliff- I barely stopped the rest of the Club from diving after you!" He looked livid.

"I'm sorry." Sakura said meekly. "You should be." Kyoya retorted, storming off. Sakura stared after him, wondering what was going on through his mind.

_That stupid girl! Does she think she's immortal?! _Kyoya was still fuming. He'd heard her scream and had thought his heart would stop when he saw her jump off the cliff. The truth was, he hadn't even considered she had been pushed; he'd thought she had jumped.

_But not for fun. I really thought she was going to kill herself on purpose. _He felt a little guilty for expecting the worse from his cousin, but given her history it wouldn't have been too shocking if she'd tried to commit suicide. He turned around to see her staring out at the ocean waves. The only sign that she'd been upset for him getting angry with her was her tense shoulders. He felt a wave of guilt for upsetting her, but she had really scared him; if she did that it again, he didn't know what he would do.

Sakura sighed softly from where she sat on a boulder that stretched out over the water. She was dressed in clean clothes and had dried her hair off, but she wasn't ready to go home yet.

_I could watch that sunset forever. _She thought, staring at the beautiful colors in front of her. She heard the noise of someone climbing up the rock and tensed, expecting it to be Kyoya. But when she turned, she saw a familiar face she hadn't been expecting.

"Kaoru-san?" She asked, confused. He sat down beside her and didn't reply, his eyes fixed on the sunset ahead.

"What were you thinking?" He said abruptly. Sakura blinked. He had to have been talking about the jump.

"I wasn't." She admitted. "It just looked like fun." She shrugged. Kaoru glared at her. "You scared us all half to death." He said. Sakura grimaced. "Sorry. Kyoya already told me about that." She felt bad about worrying them- but she had to admit, it felt nice to have someone worry over her.

"Don't do something stupid like that again, OK?" He asked. Sakura nodded. "OK." She replied. He jumped down and offered his hand up.

"Come on. We're all going to spend the night at Kyoya's." He explained. Sakura nodded and took his hand, feeling safe in his strong grip as he gently helped lower her down.

She didn't let go of his hand when they got down and simply walked off, her heart pounding at the boldness of her move.

_What am I doing?! I don't want him to think I'm too interested- he might shoot me down before we have a chance. _She thought worriedly. She started to move away but Kaoru squeezed her hand gently and walked beside her. He was blushing slightly; Sakura smiled at that and looked away, towards the limos that were parked and ready to take them all home.

"Why don't you ride with me?" Kaoru suggested. "I think Kyoya might bite my head off if I get in there." Sakura glanced worriedly at the limo Kyoya was sitting in. Kaoru shrugged and smiled. "Sure. We all get scared of Kyoya when he's angry." He added seriously, leading the way to his limo.

He opened the door and she slid in, next to Hikaru. He looked at her in surprise.

"Kaoru said I could come." She explained, scooting over. Kaoru sat down beside her. Hikaru flashed his twin a knowing grin at Kaoru and turned towards the window, pretending not to see either of them.

Sakura was trying to control her rapid heartbeat as she sat beside Kaoru. She really wanted him; desperately, with ever fiber of her being. But now that her heart was in his hands, he held all the power; he could either heal her every scar or break her completely. It was all up to Kaoru now.

Kaoru collapsed into his bed beside Hikaru at Kyoya's mansion later that night, tired from the busy day.

"So? What happened?" Hikaru demanded as soon as they were both settled. Kaoru shrugged. "She made the first move." He admitted. Hikaru grinned. "Guess you win the game." Kaoru blinked in surprise. He hadn't thought about the game for a long time- he'd forgotten completely about it.

"I guess I did." He admitted. Hikaru suddenly looked thoughtful. He looked at his twin, his eyes probing.

"You really like her, don't you?" He asked quietly. Kaoru hesitated then nodded tensely. Hikaru laughed and punched his shoulder. "Good for you man. Best of luck to the two of you." He grinned, rolling over and turning off the light. Kaoru closed his eyes and drifted off to sleep, a smile still on his face.

Kyoya watched his cousin get into the limo, a happy smile on her face as she waved goodbye to Kaoru, who waved back before Hikaru dragged him into the limo.

Kyoya's lips pressed together in a tight line. He wasn't sure he liked this development. Kaoru wasn't exactly known for his commitment- he was more known for his jokes and pranks.

_Sakura doesn't need a good laugh- she needs a loyal, dependable man in her life. And if Kaoru isn't that for her I'll break his neck._

Hikaru wasn't sure he liked how this was going so far. He could barely speak to his twin without him bringing up something about Sakura.

Even at the Host Club, when they were supposed to be doing their act, he was far more interested in sitting and talking to Sakura, much to the displeasure of their customers. It was beginning to drive him a bit crazy.

_Who does that girl think she is? _He thought bitterly. _She walks in here and steals my brother away just like that. _From where he sat beside his brother in class, he could easily see him sneaking glimpses over his shoulder. Every time he did this, Hikaru would roll his eyes and scowl.

What happened to their games? Why didn't he like to throw paper balls at people and tease Haruhi anymore? Haruhi seemed happy by this change in events, but Hikaru hated it.

_I've got to get my brother back!  
_

Sakura was happy that Kaoru finally seemed to accept her, but there was always that nagging suspicion in the back of her mind. Every time he touched her hand, every time he looked at her or spoke… her guard would leap up again and she'd have to fight it back down before he noticed.

He always did seem to notice though- if she jumped when he touched her shoulder he'd pull back immediately. But he never asked. He never asked why she was afraid of him, or why she would get a haunted look in her eyes occasionally. No, he didn't pry- at least, not yet.

Kaoru and Sakura lounged together on the couch after the Host Club had ended a week after the beach trip. Hikaru sat across from them, looking disinterestedly at the cup of tea he held in his hand. Sakura sat with her head on Kaoru's shoulder; Kaoru was pleased she finally trusted him enough to do little things like that without hesitation.

"So, Kaoru." Hikaru said suddenly, sitting up straight. Kaoru looked up at his brother expectantly. He felt a chill go up his spine at the look in Hikaru's eyes.

"Does Sakura know how you _really _got together?" He asked, setting his cup down on the table. Kaoru stiffened and Sakura raised her head, looking between the two of them warily.

"What's he talking about Kaoru-chan?" Sakura asked suspiciously. "Nothing. Nothing at all." He shot a warning glance at Hikaru but his lips turned up slightly at the edges.

"So he didn't tell you about the game?" Hikaru asked curiously. Sakura blinked. "What game?" She asked. Kaoru fought the urge to jump on his brother and attack him, if only to shut him up. He stared at him pleadingly but Hikaru ignored him and Kaoru prayed to God that Sakura would forgive him.

Sakura felt suspicion creeping up her spine as she looked at Hikaru.

"Kaoru and I had a game." Hikaru said, looking like the cat that had swallowed the canary.

"A game?" Sakura echoed. Hikaru nodded solemnly.

"When you first arrived, we decided to play a game; to see which one of us could get you to fall in love with us." He explained. Sakura's heart sank and she turned slowly to Kaoru.

"You mean… this is all a lie? You're just playing a game?" She asked slowly. Kaoru shook his head violently. "No, Sakura-chan let me explain! Yes, it was a game in the beginning but I forgot all about it!" He cried, trying to calm her down. Something in Sakura snapped and she leaped to her feet.

"So that's it?! It was just a _game _to you, wasn't it?! Every thing you said, everything you did… all for a stupid game." She turned and raced away, ignoring Kaoru as he called after her.

"Sakura!" Kyoya stood up and called after his cousin, but she didn't seem to hear him and burst out the door. Kyoya whirled to stare at Kaoru with eyes blazing with fury. In a flash, he had Kaoru pinned against the wall, his hand closed around his throat.

"What did you do to her?!" He demanded, tightening his hold. "Nothing! Hikaru was the one who upset her!" He gasped, struggling to get free. "Let me go! I have to go after her!" Kyoya hesitated then decided he wasn't the one to blame and let him go. Kaoru took off running but stopped beside Hikaru and stared at him, betrayal and anger in his eyes.

"You're no better then you used to be." He spat before running out the door, still calling Sakura's name. Kyoya turned slowly towards Hikaru, clenching his fists. Hikaru's eyes widened in terror as Kyoya came steadily closer, screaming insults at the one who may have destroyed Sakura permanently.

Sakura raced blindly outside, ignoring the fact that it was raining. She ran on and on, desperate to be as far away from the school as she could.

"Sakura-chan! Please, come back!" She heard Kaoru's voice and didn't slow down and kept going, only stopping when she'd reached a busy highway and couldn't cross. Kaoru finally caught up to her, and placed a hand on her shoulder to turn her around. She whirled to face him, her eyes blazing. She was grateful for the rain- that way, he couldn't see her tears.

"How could you?" She demanded, backing away from him. "I'm so, so sorry Sakura-chan." Kaoru panted, still catching his breath. "No you're not! You're just sorry you got caught." She spat, fury blazing within her.

"No! That's not it at all! I'm sorry Hikaru and I started the stupid game!" He protested, taking a cautious step closer. Sakura took two backwards, shaking her head.

"I don't believe you!" She sobbed. "I trusted you, I _loved _you and this was all just a game to you!" She shrieked. Kaoru's eyes widened when she said "loved" and for a moment they just stared at each other.

"I can't do this anymore." Sakura whispered, backing away. She whirled and ran straight into the road.

"Sakura!" Kaoru didn't even add the "chan"- it all happened so quickly. Sakura turned to the truck coming at her, closing her eyes and spreading her arms. She just wanted it too end. The pain, the fear, the constant anguish that had torn her soul apart.

The truck's tires squealed as it tried to avoid her, but the road was too slick and it merely went faster, unable to stop.

Just as the truck hit her, she felt a warm, protective body cover hers and shove her roughly out of the way, though they were both struck.

Sakura went flying to the side of the road and rolled through the mud, trying to figure out why she hadn't died instantly. She opened her eyes and there was Kaoru, lying beside her.

"Kaoru?" She whispered, trying to pull herself up. Kaoru's eyes opened. "I'm sorry." He said. Sakura sighed. She just wanted this to be over.

"I know." She murmured, edging closer. "I'm sorry I dragged you into this." She replied. Kaoru blinked slowly, his eyelids drooping. "I'm sorry Sakura… I can't stay awake…" His eyes closed and he let out a long sigh.

"Kaoru!" She shrieked, shaking him roughly but he did not stir. He lay perfectly still, a peaceful expression on his face. Sakura stared at him, the last pieces of her heart crumbling to dust. Slowly, she lay her head down beside his and closed her eyes, sinking into the warm peace that welcomed her with open arms.

Sakura opened her eyes to blinding whiteness. She closed them again immediately, aware of the numbness of her entire body.

_Am I in Heaven? _She wondered, opening her eyes a slit to see only the whiteness again. She shut them again.

_Kaoru, are you here? _She didn't dare open her eyes; what if she did, and found that she was alone? She kept her eyes closed and drifted back to the warm blackness, where she constantly called for Kaoru to come save her from this never-ending nightmare.

A while later, she awoke again but still did not open her eyes. She wasn't willing to wake up yet; she was too terrified of opening her eyes to find that Kaoru had left her forever.

_I killed him… God forgive me, I killed him. _She thought repeatedly. But if he was dead, wouldn't he be here too, in this blinding whiteness?

Slowly, timidly, she opened her eyes and stared up at the whiteness. She blinked a few times, trying to see clearly. But as her sight cleared, shapes began to take form; a ceiling, four walls, a window, and many, many flowers.

_Oh no. I'm alive? _She thought in horror, realizing that "Heaven" was actually just a hospital room. She shook her head, hoping this was a nightmare.

"You're awake." She turned her head slowly; barely recognize the relieved, joyful voice that spoke from beside her bed. It was Kyoya; and he looked like he hadn't slept for days.

"Are you OK? Does it hurt anywhere?" He asked anxiously, leaning in closer. She shook her head and he sighed with relief.

"You really scared us all. Sakura, we only know what the truck driver told us… did you really run out in front of the truck?" He asked gently. Sakura swallowed hard, tears springing to her eyes.

"I just wanted the pain to go away." She whimpered, trying hard not to cry. To her surprise, Kyoya and stood up and leaned down, wrapping his arms around her as best he could. She buried her face in his shoulder and let the tears flow, glad that someone was here to hold her.

"Wait… what about Kaoru?" She asked, pulling away from him. "I need to know what happened to Kaoru." She said firmly, trying to look brave. A true look of pain crossed Kyoya's face.

"Sakura… I'm so sorry, but we still don't know if Kaoru's going to make it. He took most of the blow; he only got out of surgery yesterday." Kyoya said gently. Sakura swallowed hard.

"When can I see him?" She asked anxiously. "When you're well enough to walk." Kyoya said. "And when will that be?" Kyoya hesitated. "You broke your leg and a few ribs; you got off easy, compared to Kaoru. But the doctors said you'll be able to use a wheelchair within a day or two." Sakura sighed with relief. Just one more day until she could be sure Kaoru was all right. Just one more day…

Her thoughts grew cloudy and her eyelids drooped. "Your pain meds should be kicking in." Kyoya said, sitting back down. "Don't worry; I'll be here when you wake up." He promised. That was the last thing Sakura heard before she sank into a deep, dreamless sleep.

Sakura awoke the next and sat up immediately, then winced at the pain in her sides.

"Don't sit up so fast." Kyoya scolded. "Can I get in the wheelchair now?" She asked eagerly. Kyoya sighed. "Well, you're just going to walk out of here by yourself if I don't get one." He mused, hitting the nurse button by the bed. A nurse poked her head in.

"Could you bring us a wheelchair, please?" Kyoya asked. The nurse bowed and left, returning a few minutes later with the promised wheelchair.

The nurse helped Sakura into it and asked where she wanted to go. "Hitachin Kaoru's room." She said promptly. The nurse nodded and wheeled her out of the room. Kyoya stayed behind, sitting back down in his laptop. Sakura felt a rush of gratitude he wouldn't be there to see her when she saw Kaoru; she didn't know if she would break down, and she couldn't bear it if he saw her that way.

When the nurse brought her into the room, she almost thought they were in the wrong room. She didn't even recognize the figure in the bed; it couldn't be Kaoru, it simply couldn't.

But when the nurse bowed and left her, and she looked closely at the face, she knew it was him.

"Oh Kaoru," She breathed, placing her hand on his. "What have I done to you?" She whispered in horror.

"You mean what have _I _done to both of you?" Sakura turned so far her sides hurt when she heard the voice. Hikaru was leaning against the wall opposite her, staring at his twin and Sakura.

"I shouldn't have said that. I might as well have pushed you both in front of that truck." He said bitterly. "It wasn't your fault, Hikaru-chan." Sakura said quietly. Hikaru's eyes flashed. "Yes it was! I was jealous of the attention he was giving you, so I decided the best way to fix that was by hurting both of you instead of just talking to him!" He paced the floor, his face a mask of pain and guilt.

"Kaoru loves you; he really, really loves you and I just couldn't take it." He spat, stalking the room like a trapped panther.

Sakura's heart beat faster. "He did?" She asked in wonder, turning back to Kaoru. "Of course!" Hikaru snorted. "He jumped in front of that truck for you, didn't he?" Sakura flinched, the scene replaying in her mind.

"He's going to be fine." Hikaru said, more gently. "I just know it; he isn't ready to die yet." He declared, coming to a halt beside Sakura. He stared down at his twin. "He's not going to die." He said softly. "He can't."

**Oh no, poor Kaoru! What has happened to our dear, kind-hearted friend?! I know I left you with a cliff-hanger but you'll have to wait for the next chapter to find out what happens next!**

9


	3. Chapter 3

**Note: I do NOT own Ouran High School Host Club, no matter how many times I wished that were true.**

**This is the final chapter of the story! It's a shorter one then the others, but that can't be helped, unless you'd like to read a bunch of meaningless gibberish to fill a few pages. I hope you liked the story! Also, I apologize to those of you who gagged at the end; I like my romance mushy, thank you very much :D**

Hikaru stalked the room, his eyes narrowed to slits. He looked furious; and he was. This was all his fault. He'd landed both his beloved twin and the only girl Kaoru had ever really loved in the hospital; all because of his spite.

_I'd give anything to turn back time. _He thought desperately, finally coming to a halt as he stared regretfully at Kaoru. He noticed Sakura's drooping eyes and took an awkward step forward.

"Hey, Sakura-san? Want me to call a nurse or something?" He asked nervously. "I'm fine." Sakura's eyes snapped open and remained stubbornly wide open until they began to droop again.

"That's it. I'm taking you back to your room." He grabbed Sakura's wheelchair and wheeled it out of the room, ignoring her faint protests.

He finally found her room and saw Kyoya sitting in a chair, his laptop out. He looked up with surprise when Hikaru came in.

"She's falling asleep." Hikaru muttered, dropping her off. He turned and hurried back to his twin's side, feeling guilty for leaving him just for a moment.

Sakura awoke back in her bed and felt like cursing.

"Kyoya, how long have I…?" She trailed off, seeing that Kyoya was gone. "Kyoya?" She asked, sitting up.

"He went to get some coffee." She looked up in surprise when Hikaru walked in, his hands shoved deep in his pockets.

"He wanted me to stay here in case you woke up." He explained. Sakura nodded. "Oh. How's Kaoru?" She asked. "He's in surgery again, so I've got nothing to do for an hour or two." Hikaru shrugged.

"Has Kyoya even left the hospital yet?" Sakura asked. Hikaru shook his head. "No. Been here the entire time." He said. Sakura's eyes widened and she leaned back against her pillow, surprised that Kyoya had been here that long.

As though he knew they were talking about him, Kyoya walked in.

"Ah, I see you're awake Sakura." Kyoya said, tossing an empty cup into the garbage. "Kyoya, why don't you go home and get some sleep." Sakura suggested gently.

"I'm fine." Kyoya snorted. "No you're not. Go home and rest, if only for a few hours. Hikaru's here; I'm not alone." She pointed out. Hikaru looked uncomfortable under Kyoya's steady gaze. But in the end, exhausted won her tired cousin over.

"All right." He sighed finally. "I'll go. I'll be back in a few hours though." He said before he turned and left.

"Whether he likes it or not, he's not going to be back for a lot longer then he thinks." Hikaru snorted. Sakura smiled slightly; she knew all too well of Kyoya's reputation as the "Low Blood Pressure Evil Lord".

"Anything good on TV?" Hikaru asked abruptly, sitting down in Kyoya's chair. Sakura shrugged. "I don't know. Haven't been watching much lately." She admitted. Hikaru turned it on but only static appeared.

"Darn it." Hikaru smacked the side of it but nothing happened. He scowled and returned to his chair and sighed. After a few moments of tense silence, Sakura sighed and turned to him.

"Tamaki told you, didn't he?" She asked quietly. Hikaru jumped. "Told me what?" He asked, though by the look in his eyes Sakura knew he was just playing stupid.

"About… what happened before I came here." She said. "No he didn't. He only said you'd been through a lot." Hikaru admitted.

"How did you know?" Hikaru asked curiously. Sakura smiled slightly. "Haruhi told me. She figured it wasn't good of Tamaki to talk about people behind their backs." She explained. Hikaru nodded, a slight smile on his face.

"So what did happen?" Hikaru asked, his eyes burning with curiosity. Sakura winced at the bad memories that beat dark wings in her head and she closed her eyes.

"You don't have to answer." Hikaru added hastily. "No." Sakura opened her eyes. "No, I have to. I'm tired of you all just wondering what happened. Kaoru knows; I told him all of this already. You're his twin; you should know all he knows." She decided. She folded her hands and stared at them before she began her story.

"I used to live about a hundred miles north of here, out in the country. We had a beautiful cottage, and our house overlooked a stream. It was wonderful." She smiled to herself.

"But that was just how it looked. My father, you see, lost his job a year ago. As soon as it happened Mom had to get work; she had a night job that barely kept us going.

"So all night it'd just be the two of us and my dad." She said, her eyes staring off into the distance.

"The two of you?" Hikaru asked, confusion in his voice. Sakura turned to see him slowly, her eyes brimming with pain.

"My father, myself, and Kagura. My twin sister." Hikaru's eyes went wide with shock and he said nothing. "You have a twin?" He stammered finally. Sakura didn't say anything and turned away from him again, resuming her story.

"Dad was stressed out, so he turned to alcohol to solve all his problems." She said, her voice barely above a whisper.

"He was a mean drunk; when he'd had a few bottles, he would come after Kagura and me, looking for someone to take his anger out on.

"I would always provoke him, making sure he only hit me, never Kagura. For a year, I endured this every night and he never touched her. Not once. And my mother never found out. We were both too scared that he'd hurt us worse if we told.

"But, one day, last month, Mom went to work earlier then usual, so Dad had an earlier start and had much more to drink then usual. Kagura and I didn't know he kept a gun in his dresser…" Sakura swallowed hard, trying to find her composure. Hikaru sat in silence, not begging her to continue. He listened like Kaoru had; without judgment and without comment.

"He came downstairs after us, thinking we were burglars or something after his money." Sakura's eyes hardened.

"We both tried to run but he shot her. He shot Kagura, right in front of me." She buried her face in her hands, trying to banish the pictures that flashed in front of her eyes. "Then he shot me too, and I don't remember anything after that." She finished in a choked whisper. She was crying again; she hated crying in front of Hikaru, but she couldn't help it. She could still see Kagura's terrified eyes as she fell before her, as though it had only happened yesterday.

"And he took her too." Sakura sobbed. "He took her body, and we still haven't found them. I don't even have any closure." She tried hard to stifle the sobs, but they just kept coming. Silently, Hikaru stood and sat next to her on the bed, wrapping his arms around her. His embrace wasn't nearly as warm or comforting as Kaoru's; but it was far better then nothing, and she welcomed his support, burying her face in his chest and letting herself go.

When Kaoru returned from history, Hikaru left Sakura, who was asleep again, and returned to his side. The doctors said Kaoru had shown no improvement; his outcome was "uncertain". Hikaru clenched his fists as he sat beside his brother, wondering what he would have done if he had lost him.

_Sakura already knows that pain; and I may have to go through it as well. _He thought grimly.

"Saka-chan Saka-chan!" Sakura turned her head and saw Hunny danced into the room. The corners of her lips pulled up into a slight smile; Hunny always cheered her up.

"Are you feeling better Saka-chan?" He asked, coming to a stop beside her bed. Sakura glanced up as Mori, silent as a shadow, slipped into the room and stood nonchalantly in the corner.

"Yes I am, thank you Hunny-chan." Sakura smiled, pulling herself up into a sitting position. "I made you a get-well card!" Hunny proudly handed her a construction paper card, with a pink bunny colored in crayon on the front.

"Aw, thank you Hunny-chan! I feel much better now!" Sakura laughed, placing the card on the dresser beside her bed.

"Is the rest of the Host Club here?" Sakura asked Mori curiously. Mori nodded once. "Tama-chan was talking to a pretty nurse!" Hunny announced, jumping up on the bed beside Sakura.

"I'll bet." Sakura snorted, amused. Mori smiled slightly and he turned, noticing the newcomers before anyone else had.

"… oh but Haruhi I just wanted to know where Sakura-chan's room was!" Tamaki was crying as he and Haruhi both entered. Haruhi merely rolled her eyes and didn't respond.

"Ah, hello Sakura-chan!" Tamaki greeted her, recovering instantly from Haruhi's annoyed glare. "I trust you're feeling better?" Sakura nodded, getting a bit tired of having to say she felt fine every time she woke up.

"Where's Mom? Don't tell me Kyoya abandoned you in your time of need!" Tamaki cried, aghast. Sakura rolled her eyes. "He's just getting some more coffee." She explained.

"How is Kaoru-san?" Haruhi asked bluntly. Tamaki winced at her directness but said nothing.

"We don't know yet." Sakura admitted. "His room is just a few doors down; why don't you go see him? Hikaru will be there too, so you can visit him as well." Sakura suggested. "OK! Bye Saka-chan!" Hunny hopped up onto Mori's shoulders and everyone departed, leaving Sakura alone for once.

She sighed with relief at the quiet and leaned back against the pillow, closing her eyes as she fell back asleep.

Hikaru looked up with a mild annoyance as the entire Host Club entered Kaoru's suddenly cramped hospital room.

"What are you guys doing here?" Hikaru demanded irritably. Tamaki went to the corner to sulk at Hikaru's rudeness and nearly everyone in the room rolled their eyes.

"We just came to see Kaoru." Haruhi explained. Hunny, the usually most talkative of them all, was strangely silent as he stared at Kaoru with wide, child-like eyes.

"Takashi, is that really Kao-chan?" He whispered to his large cousin, who nodded solemnly.

"Quit acting like this is a funeral!" Hikaru snapped when he noticed everyone's sad and pained faces.

"Hikaru-san, you can't blame us for being upset." Haruhi said gently. Hikaru snorted and turned his back, furious that she had to be right all the time.

Silently, the rest of the Host Club departed, leaving Hikaru alone with his twin.

Kaoru stared around the blank whiteness that seemed eerily like a fog. He didn't know how long he'd been here; he could have been trapped for years or mere minutes. Time didn't exist here. He heard voices occasionally; most often Hikaru's, begging him to come back.

_But how do I get back? _He wondered bleakly, walking aimlessly though the white mist.

"I can help." Kaoru whirled and looked around with a wild hope; the voice sounded achingly familiar.

"Where are you?" Kaoru called desperately.

"Here." The voice was stronger now, and closer. Then he saw her. She looked exactly like Sakura, yet somehow different.

"You look like Sakura… but you're _not _Sakura…" Kaoru shook his head, confused. The girl giggled. "You're a smart one! No, I'm not Sakura; I'm her twin, Kagura." She with a friendly smile. Kaoru blinked in shock.

"But you can't be!" Kaoru blurted out. "You're dead!" Kagura merely sighed. "Sakura's cries for you have reached my heart; I cannot rest until I have brought you back to her and have given her peace." She said softly, turning away.

"Hey, wait! Come back!" Kaoru chased after her, but she was always just out of reach, leading him on and on in the never-ending whiteness.

Sakura tapped her fingers impatiently as the nurse wheeled her into Kaoru's room. Something was pulling her there; a desperate need to be by Kaoru's side.

"All right here we are." The nurse said cheerfully, stopping her chair by Kaoru's bedside. "Just call if you need anything!" She said brightly, stepping out of the room and closing the door behind her.

She was fully aware of Hikaru's looming presence in the back of the room; he didn't say anything, or move a muscle. She glanced back at home once; he looked exhausted beyond belief. She felt a stab of pity for him; he hadn't been in his bed for days.

"Kaoru?" She whispered softly, taking Kaoru's hand. "If you can hear me… wherever you are… please, come back to us." She begged quietly, squeezing his hand. She bowed her head, wishing with all her might that he would wake up.

She nearly jumped out of her skin when she felt a faint movement in her hand. Startled, she could only stare at her hand as Kaoru squeezed it again.

"Kaoru?" She whispered hopefully. After a few tense moments, his eyes fluttered open. "Kaoru!" She shrieked, wishing she could stand up. In a heartbeat Hikaru was at the bed.

"Kaoru?" He asked, his eyes wide with shock. Kaoru's eyes turned towards his twin and he smiled faintly.

"Kaoru!" Hikaru screamed, grabbing his free hand and pressing it to his cheek, closing his eyes.

A nurse poked her head in, having heard all the commotion. "Is something the matter?" She asked. "He's awake!" Sakura cried triumphantly. The nurse came closer to investigate.

"If you can hear and understand me, blink." She commanded. Kaoru closed his eyes for a moment then reopened them. "I'll go get a doctor to remove his breathing tube." She said before hurrying out of the room.

"Don't you ever scare me like that again, man." Hikaru said seriously. Sakura nodded fervently and clutched his hand tighter. Kaoru's eyes found hers and for a heartbeat he looked shocked, then dazed before he blinked and his eyes cleared.

He squeezed her hand again as a doctor came in and asked Hikaru and Sakura to back away. They did so, reluctantly, and watched as the doctor removed Kaoru's breathing tube. As soon as it was gone Kaoru coughed a few times, blinking and swallowing hard.

"Your throat may be a bit sore but it will go away." The doctor said. He bowed to Hikaru and Sakura and left them with Kaoru.

"I'm so glad you're OK!" Sakura was trying hard not to cry as she wheeled herself closer to Kaoru. Kaoru smiled weakly. "Sorry." He rasped, then he coughed again. Hikaru bent down and pressed a finger to his twin's lips. "Don't say anything." He said firmly.

"We'd better tell Kyoya." Sakura said suddenly. Hikaru nodded. "You go. I'm staying here." Sakura nodded and with a grunt of effort wheeled herself backwards and turned towards the door. She was outside the door and halfway down the hall before a nurse finally caught her and wheeled her to her own room, where Kyoya was waiting, writing in his notebook this time.

"Kaoru's awake." She blurted out excitedly before he could say anything. Kyoya's eyes widened and he stood up, closing his notebook. She turned back to the nurse behind her.

"Can you take us back to Hitachin Kaoru's room, please?" She asked and the nurse nodded, wheeling her around and taking her right back to Kaoru's room, Kyoya right beside her.

After a few more days in the hospital, Kaoru was finally sent home on strict bed-rest. Needless to say, Sakura was a frequent visitor of the Hitachin household.

After a week or so at home, Kaoru was well enough to come back to Ouran, though he wore a cast on his right arm.

Tamaki decided that the re-opening of the Host Club after two weeks of being closed was cause for a party. A ball, to be exact. So the Friday that Kaoru and Hikaru returned that night there was a large, grand ball outside under the cherry blossoms.

Sakura danced with every member of the Host Club twice; except for Kaoru, who was swept away by client after adoring client who had missed him and his brother. Finally though, the last dance came and Kaoru politely declined a dance with the clients in favor of Sakura.

"May I have this dance?" He bowed in front of her. Sakura smiled. "You may." She said, taking his hand. Dancing was awkward for her, because of her leg being in a cast. So she wrapped her arms around his shoulders and he put a hand on her waist and they swayed gently to the music. Sakura placed her head on his chest and closed her eyes, wishing this night would never end.

She could tell the song was ending though, and she reluctantly opened her eyes and looked up at Kaoru.

"You know what I haven't told you yet?" He said abruptly. "What?" Sakura asked. He looked back at her, his eyes warm.

"I love you." He breathed. Sakura's breath caught in her chest and for a moment she could only stare at him for a heartbeat before she could whisper back, "I love you too." She murmured and he smiled.

He bent his head slightly and brought his face closer to hers, his eyes asking permission. Sakura merely blinked and stretched up the last few inches, bringing her lips to his.

Above their heads, fireworks exploded over the cherry blossom trees, highlighting the moment between them. And so our story ends, with a kiss, as all stories should.

**Yeah I kind of turned into a narrator at the end, but it seemed like the right thing to put. Please review and tell me what you think!**

**NOTE: There WILL be a sequel! I don't know when it will be posted but I am working on it now; and I can't wait for it to be posted so you can bet it'll be up soon!**

6


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